Bengal cops let a smiling Sudipta go out of custody

Sen was seen smiling as he was taken to Dum Dum jail for 14-day custody and told reporters that he was "happy with the police probe".

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KOLKATA: In a strange move, police in West Bengal investigating the multi-crore Saradha Ponzi scam did not seek custody of prime accused Sudipta Sen and his aide Arvind Chauhan on Saturday.

Sen was seen smiling as he was taken to Dum Dum jail for 14-day custody and told reporters that he was "happy with the police probe".

Co-accused Debjani was not produced in court as she complained of a stomach infection and was admitted to an expensive cabin in a private hospital in Salt Lake.

Bidhannagar police officers refused to elaborate why they did not seek an extension of Sen's custody. The police informed the court that they do not need to interrogate him any further. The public prosecutor put it on record that the Bidhannagar police probe is complete, the interrogation of the accused is over, and they could now be remanded in judicial custody.

The police claim raised eyebrows because the investigators still have to find out the exact amount allegedly swindled by Sen and how many people have been duped by Saradha. The forensic audit of Saradha's accounts is pending and police are yet to make much headway in tracing the missing crores that Sen allegedly siphoned off to secret accounts, say sources.

Sen and Chauhan were brought before the additional chief judicial magistrate at Bidhanngar court on Saturday afternoon. They are accused in six cases in the jurisdiction of the court and the prosecution had the scope to seek longer police custody. Since there was no opposition from the prosecution, the magistrate remanded the duo in judicial custody till May 31.

Clad in white kurta-pyjama, Sen looked happy. In the evening he was taken to Dum Dum jail and put in cell No 3, said jail sources. He spent 24 days in police custody.

A section of investigators said that all that's left now is to "verify and cross-check" Sen's statements. They hinted that several other agencies have approached the court to take Sen in custody for interrogation. On Sunday, South 24-Parganas police will produce Sen in Baruipur court in connection with three cases. Police sources said confirmed they would seek his custody. The Enforcement Directorate and Assam Police are likely to approach the court to take Sen in their custody as well.

Co-accused Debjani Mukherjee missed the court date because she complained of stomach-ache in the morning and was taken to a private hospital in Salt Lake. Doctors suggested admission and she was put up in an expensive cabin, say sources. As she is an undertrial, the government will pick up the tab. Hospital sources said she is suffering has a minor infection and her condition is stable.